This Copycat Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich Recipe Will Have Your Kitchen Smelling Wildly Good

By Perri Konecky

Who could forget when the Popeyes chicken sandwich hit the market last year? Lines were wrapped around the corner, the sandwiches were selling out freakishly fast, and fans were going crazy on Twitter — it was chicken-sandwich madness! Now that the pandemonium has settled and the sandwich is still as delicious as ever, one TikTok and Instagram user is sharing their hack for making it right at home, and we can already smell the spiciness because we love that chicken from Popeyes.

Ratchet Recipes often shares fast-food hacks for the at-home chef, including recipes for Chick-fil-A's nuggets, Red Lobster's crab and shrimp Alfredo, and my personal favorite, the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich. Check out the video above or follow the instructions below to make the drool-worthy sandwich from the comfort of your own home.

For the homemade buttermilk:

  • Mix 2 cups milk and 1 tablespoon vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • Take 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, and 1 tablespoon black pepper and mix it into the milk.
  • Add a little pickle juice!
  • Mix it all together.
  • Add washed chicken breasts into the marinade mix and let it sit for up to 24 hours (or for a minimum of 1 hour).

For the breading:

  • Add 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
  • Stir the mix together.
  • Take 2-3 tablespoons buttermilk and add it to the flour mixture.
  • Take each piece of chicken and coat it in the flour.

To fry the chicken:

  • Fill up a wok with canola oil on the stovetop.
  • Ratchet Recipes's pro tip: to see if the oil is hot enough, stick a piece of wood into it, and if it starts to bubble, it's ready for cooking.
  • Add the chicken.

For the sandwich:

  • Take 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and mix it together.
  • Spread the sauce on the toasted buns, add the chicken, and top it off with some pickles.
  • Enjoy!

Thanks to Ratchet Recipes for the drool-worthy chicken-sandwich hack! We will absolutely be adding this to our weekly dinner rotation. And just a warning to our neighbors: the permeating smell of spicy, sizzling chicken may induce serious chicken cravings.